8 Genius Ways to Turn Clutter into Cash

After a satisfying weekend of decluttering, homeowners are often faced with an ominous pile of unwanted items. Before dropping everything off at a thrift store—or kicking it to the curb on garbage day—consider these 8 ways to turn your clutter into cash.

Sell Textbooks to Amazon

Once you finish school, old textbooks are often left to collect dust on your bookshelves. Instead of tossing these bulky (and expensive!) volumes, try selling them to Amazon. The company will buy back textbooks for up to 80 percent of the original price. Simply enter information about each textbook into an online form, and Amazon will give you its offered price. Print out a shipping label and send in the books to receive credit on your Amazon account. Learn more about Amazon's textbook trade-in program here.

Give Old Discs to SecondSpin.com

Thanks to the advent of audio and video streaming, your CD and DVD collections probably get little use. When you finally decide to toss these outdated formats, visit SecondSpin.com, which will pay you for certain CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and video games. Create an account on their website, and then enter information about the items you have to sell. After packaging them up and sending them in, you'll receive payment by store credit, check, or a deposit into your PayPal account. Visit SecondSpin.com for more information.

Purge Electronics with Gazelle

It seems like nobody knows how to dispose of old electronics properly. Fortunately, gazelle.com will purchase your unwanted cellphones, tablets, laptops, computers, and other electronic devices, even if they aren't in working order. An iPhone 5C in good condition, for example, will bring you $40. You can use the payment as credit toward the purchase of another device, or Gazelle will send you cash. Learn more on the Gazelle website.

Offer Your China to Replacements, Ltd.

You may have searched the Replacements, Ltd. website to find a replacement for a broken china cup or plate. But did you know the website also buys your unwanted dinnerware, crystal, and silver? First, contact the company to find out if they're currently purchasing pieces of your particular pattern. If so, they’ll send you an offer with prices clearly outlined. Check out the Replacements, Ltd. website here.

Peddle Jewelry to Sell Your Gold

Many homeowners have a box of old or broken jewelry sitting in the back of a closet. To get rid of these items, check out Sell Your Gold, which buys unwanted gold, precious metals, gemstone jewelry, watches, and collectible coins. Request a free appraisal kit on their website, then send your items with free and insured overnight shipping from FedEx. Once your items arrive at the Sell Your Gold facility, they’ll be appraised and you’ll be emailed an offer. Accept it to receive payment via mailed check, direct deposit, or PayPal. If you decide not to accept their offer, Sell Your Gold will return your items for free. Learn more by visiting sellyourgold.com.

Give Your Baby Gear to Once Upon a Child

Children require a lot of stuff—clothing, bedding, toys, strollers, books—that they’ll use for only a couple of years. As your children get older, consider selling the items they've outgrown to Once Upon a Child, a secondhand seller of baby and kid gear. Located in all 50 states, Once Upon a Child will purchase anything for infants, children, and teens. Bring your items to the store to receive a price based on condition and demand. If you don’t want to spend your profit in the store, the company will cut you a check on the spot. Find a store on the Once Upon a Child website.

Clear Out Your Clothes for Plato’s Closet

If you have brand-name clothing in good condition, Plato’s Closet wants it for resale. Bring your gently used clothes into one of their store locations, and the employees will make you an offer based on style, condition, and brand. You can be paid in either cash or store credit. Check out the Plato's Closet website here to find your nearest location.

Sell Old Items on Etsy

There’s a market for everything on Etsy, whether it’s kitschy decor, vintage luggage, toys, books, games, or furniture. Selling your old stuff on the website requires a little effort, since you’ll need to upload images, write a description, set a fair price, and ultimately ship the item to buyers. But in the end, it can be extremely gratifying to receive cash for your unwanted clutter. Find out more information here.